Rack for optionally supporting articles rotatably or stationarily



1960 c. c. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 2,921,688

RACK FOR QPTIONALLY SUPPORTING ARTICLES ROTATABLY QR STATIONARILY FiledMay 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

f/az/a CZz'emems'c/mezder United States Patent RACK FOR OPI'IONALLYSUPPORTING ARTICLES ROTATABLY 0R STA'IIONARILY Claud C. Riemenschneider,Western Springs, Ill.

Application May 13, 1955, Serial No. 508,071

4 Claims. (Cl. 211-2) My invention relates to racks of the type adaptedto support articles individuallyin series, one above the other, forexample, rolls of carpeting or the like, and has reference moreparticularly to a rack wherein such articles may be thus supportedoptionally on spindles or on pallets.

A rack of the type to which the present invention relates is shown in.my Patent No. 2,601,560 granted June 24, 1952, wherein a series ofspindles which are adapted to support rolls of carpeting thereon aremounted in vertically spaced series and are individually adjustablevertically on apair of hangers which are supported on an overhead trackso that the rack and its load may be moved from place to place.

In my aforesaid patent it is contemplated that the rolls of carpeting bemounted on the spindles so that the carpet ing may be wound on orunwound from the spindle as required for displaying the carpeting andcutting olf lengths therefrom, and for this purpose the spindle may beprovided, as shown in said patent, with clamps for attaching the leadingedge of the carpeting thereto for winding the carpeting on the spindleor, if the spindle is removable from the rack, it may be insertedendwise through the central opening of the carpet roll and locked on thespindle to rotate therewith, as shown, for example, in my copendingapplications Serial Nos. 475,- 186 and 475,204, both filed December 14,1954 now U.S. Patent 2,838,249, dated June 10, 1958, and U.S. Patent2,904,278, dated Sept; 15, 1959.

Carpet rolls come from the mills in individual crates of boxes orwrapped in burlap and it is oftentimes desirable to store the rolls inthe original crates, boxes, or burlap'wr'appings in the same storageracks which are used for storage of carpet rolls on spindles, andaccordingly it is quite advantageous and important that the racks beadapted to support the rolls of carpeting optionally on the spindles onwhich the carpeting may be wound and unwound or on shelves or palletsupon which the rolls may be laid in their original crates, boxes orwrappings.

Such adaptability is desirable for economy of equipment and spaceinasmuch as separate complete racks for rotatably supporting the rollsand other separate complete racks with shelves or pallets for supportingthe boxed or wrapped rolls would greatly increase the cost of storageequipment and require considerable extra space, and the adaptabilityshould be applicable to any racks with which the storage space isprovided, whether the racks are suspended or floor supported, althoughit is especially advantageous in track supported installations, such asthat of my above mentioned patent, inasmuch as the hangers thereof arerather permanently mounted and other complete racks may not be readilysubstituted at places in the system where it may be desired to store thecarpet rolls in the original packages.

Moreover, adaptability of individual carpet mountings of the racks foreither spindle or shelf support of the rolls is desirable as it may beadvantageous in some cases to support, on the same rack, rolls which maybe wound and unwound and also rolls in the original packages.

Patented Jan. 19, 1960 The principal objects of my invention are, toprovide racks which are readily adaptable to support thereon rolls. in arotatable manner for winding and unwinding or to support packaged rollsin their original containers; to. permit the conversion of the racksfrom the one form of roll support to the other to be conveniently andquickly accomplished; and to provide simple and inexpensive facilitiesfor such conversion which do not require special or intricate partsandare made up of standard materials which are readily available, theseand other objects being accomplished as pointed out more particularlyhereinafter and as shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 13 is a typical front view of a rack structure for storing, rollsof material on spindles and includes a fragmentary portion of the beamfrom which the hangers are suspended;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view illustrating a converted arrangement of the rackstructure of Figs. 1 and 2 that is adapted for supporting boxed orwrapped rolls of material on storing pallets;

Fig. 4 is an end view Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial horizontal sectional view taken on theline 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a partial'front elevational view of the portion of thestructure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig- 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 7-7 ofFig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an exploded perspective view with parts broken awayillustrating the construction of the cross member and pallet supportingmembers and illustrating the arrangement for fixedly securing the crossmember to one of the hangers.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof,there is illustrated a rack structure which is adapted to store rolls ofmaterial 10 thereon in superposed relation on rotatable spindles 11 andwhich, in accordance with my invention, may be converted by substitutionof shelves or pallets for use in storing, in similar superposedrelation, such rolls or other articles in nonrotatable manner, as forexample in boxes, crates or wrappings in which they are packaged, theconverted structure being shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

This rack structure of Figs. 1 and 2, which is similar to that of myaforesaid patent, comprises a track 12 from which a pair of hangers oruprights 13, and usually a number of pairs thereof, are suspended forsupporting a plurality of rotatable spindles 11 between each pair. Thetrack 12 may be a standard I-beam of a size suitable for thecontemplated loads and is supported in an overhead position in anydesired manner which will leave the space thereunder free for storageand movement of the racks along the track and will also permit freeaccess to the racks at any place where access is required.

Each hanger 13 is an angle iron and each is individually supported inupright position by a trolley 15 at the upper end for individualmovement along the track. Each angle iron 13 has a bracket 17 formed asa part thereof or secured thereto at the upper end having a horizontalflange, as shown in Fig. 2, which bears sidewise againstthe horizontalbottom face of the frame of the trolley 15 and is secured thereto by acentral pin or bolt 16 which holds the horizontal flange of the bracketfiatwise against the bottom horizontal face of the trolley frame andpermits turning of the hanger 13 about the vertical axis of the pin orbolt 16.

.One flange of each of the angle iron hangers 13 is provided with avertical series of spaced openings 18, this apertured flange beingindicated at 14, and in the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2 the two angleirons of the of the converted structure of of the track 12 and the otherflanges thereof are inopposed parallel relationship facing lengthwise ofthe track. A series of pairs of spindle supporting brackets 19 aredetachably engaged in corresponding selectedopenings 18 of each of thehangers 13 so that the'brackets of each pair are at the same level, andeach pair of said brackets 19 is adapted to rotatably support a spindle11 upon which the carpeting is wound and supported thereon 1n 7 the roll10 form, and it is to be noted that the pivot 16 of the hangersupporting bracket 17 is offset from the vertical axis of the hanger 13the same distance as the bearing centers of the brackets 19 so that thecenter of the load on the spindles is in a vertical'plane of the pivotIn the illustrative rack thehangers 13 are maintained in the appropriatespaced apart relation solely by the spindles 11 and the engagementthereof in the brackets 19and thus the rack may be arranged with thehangers 13 spaced apart at any selected distance .to accommodate andcorrespond to rolls 10 of various lengths by merely utilizing spindles11 of appropriate lengths.

Since the brackets 19 are readily removable, their location on the'angleironhangers '13 may be adjusted to.

provide appropriate vertical spacing in accordance with the diameters ofthe rolls to be mounted on the rack. V

A crank 20 is shown engaged on the end of one of the spindles 11 and ispreferably detachable for application to other spindles, This crankprovides a convenient means for rotating the spindles to wind and-unwindthe carpeting thereon.

In accordance with the present invention, other difierent supports ofshelf or pallet type are provided which may be readily substituted onthe'hangers 13 for the brackets 19 and spindles 11 to accommodatethereon rolls 10 which are boxed or packaged, as indicated at 37in Fig.4, or any other articles which require shelf or pallet support, thuspermitting the rack or any'racks of the storage installation to beconverted quickly to accommodate thereon rolls on rotatable spindles orboxed or packaged rolls or other articles on shelves or pallets.

The structure parts which are'common' to both the spindle form of therack of Figs. 1 and 2 and to the converted shelf or palletformof Figs. 3and 4 are numbered identically and are not described in detail in,connection with both forms. The only structural parts of the Figs. 1 and2 rack incapable of use in the converted structure are the spindles 11and the spindle supporting brackets 19 which, as previously indicated,are readily detachable.

For converting the rack of Figs. 1 and 2 to the shelf or pallet form ofFigs. 3 and 4, shelves or pallets, eachindicated as a whole at 38, areprovided which are secured midway of the width thereof at their oppositeends to the hangers 13 so that the shelves or pallets are nontippable,and for the attachment of said shelves or pallets 38 thereto, the angleiron hangers 13 are turned on their respectlve supporting pins or bolts16 so that the apertured flanges 14 thereof, instead of facing sidewisefrom the vertical plane of the track 12 as in Fig. 1, are in planesnormal to the length of the track 12, each facing toward the oppositehanger 13 with which it is'paired.

Each so-called shelf or pallet 38 is shown herein as an assembly of aframe which is attachable to the hangers and has one or more platformsor pallet plates 22 mounted thereon atan elevation thereabove forreasons hereinafter explained, and the frame is composed of a pair ofstringers 25 which extend lengthwise of the shelf or pallet 38 and arespaced apart a distance corresponding to the width of the'hangers 13 toaccommodate'the latter therebetween.

The stringers 25 are preferably lengths of channel iron, as shown inthe'enlarged and detailed illustrations of the pallets 38jin Figs. 5, 6,7 and 8, with the closed sides thereof facing inwardly toward oneanother and these stringers 25 are secured together in the spaced apartrelation by a plurality-of intervening spacer plates 26 which are weldedor otherwise secured at their opposite extremities to the stringers 25.

Two of the said plates 26 are located near the opposite endsrespectively of the stringers 25 sufliciently distant from the stringerextremities to provide seats between the spaced apart end portions ofthe stringers to receive the hangers 13 therein, as shownin Figs. and 6,and each of these end ones of the plates 26 has secured on the outerface thereof a lug 27 of the same shape as and adapted to he receivedand fit in any of the openings 18 of the hangers 13.

Each lug 27 has a bolt hole 39 extending'centrally therethrough, andthrough the-plate 26 to which it is attached, for fastening the shelf orpallet 38 to the hangers 13 and in the fastened position the lugs 27 ofthe two end plates 26 are engaged respectively in selected correspondingopenings 18 of the two hangers, and each end plate and lug has a bolt'29 passed through the aforesaid bolt hole 39 thereof and through alarge washer 30' at the outer side of the hanger flange and secured inplace by a nut 28 threaded on the bolt, the washer 30 being large enoughto straddle the opening 18 and thus extend across the lug 27 andsufficiently therebeyond to bear against the outer face of the flange ofthe hanger and lock the lug 27 in the opening 18.

Because the hangers 13 were turned on the pivot 16 a quarter turn asaforesaid for attachment of the shelves or pallets 38 thereto and thestringers 25 are central of the pallet width, the pallets 38 extendequally at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the pivots 16 of thetwo hangers 13 so that loads on the pallets 38 are 'substan tiallycentered with respect to'said vertical plane.

A fork lift is commonly employed for handling rolls of carpeting and inorder to permit such handling of the carpet rolls in the storingthereof, in boxes, crates, burlap coverings or otherwise, on theshelvesor pallets 38 and the removal thereof from the shelvesor'pallets, twoplatforms or pallet plates 22 arepreferably employed on each shelf orpallet 38 and spaced apart sufficiently to accommodate the fork 23 ofthe fork lift therebetween under a central portion of the carpet roll or'box37, as indicated at 23 in Fig. 3, and said platforms or palletplates 22 are mounted on the stringers 25 at a sufficient elevationthereabove to accommodate the fork 23 of the fork lift between thestringers 25 and the carpet roll or box 37, also as shown in Fig. 3, sothat the fork of the fork '-lift can engage under an exposed middleportion of the roll or box to load the roll or box 37 on and remove itfrom the shelf or pallet 38.

' Moreover, the platforms or pallet plates 22 arepreferably fastened onthe stringers 25 by clamping in a 'manner to permit adjustment thereofalong the stringers.

For holding the platforms or pallet plates' 22 inthe elevated positionabove the stringers 25, each has secured thereto on the underside, apair of laterally spaced rails or cleats, each indicated as a Whole bythe reference numeral 31, which extend crosswise of and are clamped ontop of the stringers 25. iThese rails or cleats may be conveniently madeof two angle irons, an upper long one 32 and a lower short one 33,disposed in inverted relation to one another with a marginal portion ofone flange of each overlapping' the other, as shown in Figs.

6 and 8, and secured to one another, as for example by welding orbrazing, and each rail having a flange of the lower angle iron 33provided on the underside with two turnbuckle clamping plates34'which'are properly placed and attached thereto by bolts 35 to extendunder and be clamped by the bolts to the top flanges of the stringers 25as shown in 'Fig. 7. 7

Thus the platforms or pallet plates 22 are readily attachable to andremovable from the stringers25 and may be slid along the stringers andclamped thereto at any desired locations.

It will be noted from the above that when the shelves or pallets 38 areemployed, the hangers 13 are turned on their supporting pivots 16 sothat the hangers are located in the vertical plane of the pivots 16 ofthe pair of hangers and accordingly in the vertical plane of suspensionof the hangers 13 so that the loads on the shelves or pallets 38 aresubstantially centered with respect to said plane of suspension and donot impose a tilting effect on the hangers.

On the other hand, when the spindles 11 are employed, the hangers 13 areturned on their supporting pivots 16 so that they are located at oneside of the said plane of suspension of the hangers, as shown in Fig. 2,and the brackets 19 support the spindles 11 so that the latter arecentered with respect to said plane of suspension, namely, the verticalplane of the pivots 16, and thus the loads on the spindles 11 do notimpose any tilting efiect on the hangers.

While I have shown and described my invention in a preferred form, I amaware that various changes and modifications may be made therein withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention, the scope of which is tobe determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Storage facilities of the class described for supporting a pluralityof separate loads individually thereon in vertical series, saidfacilities comprising individual load supports and a pair of laterallyspaced uprights which are correspondingly provided at one side of eachwith mounting means at vertical intervals lengthwise thereof by whichsaid load supports are detachably securable thereto each at a pluralityof optional elevations variably distant from one another, each uprightbeing independently supported at its upper end eccentrically to turn inan arcuate path about a respective vertical axis and said uprights beingthereby swingable to first and second selectable quarter turn positionsin the first one of which quarter turn positions both uprights arecentered in a vertical plane common to said vertical axis of bothuprights with the mounting means sides of the uprights facing toward oneanother and in the second one of which said quarter turn positions bothuprights are at one side of and have their mounting means sides facing2. Storage facilities as defined in claim 1 wherein the I uprights aresuspended from an overhead track for independent movability therealongand such independent movability is restrained and conjoint movabilitythereof established by securing a plurality of said load supportsthereon in either of said selectable quarter turn positions of thehangers.

3. Storage facilities as defined in claim 1 wherein the uprights areangle irons each having at least one flange at right angles to anotherflange and the mounting means thereof at vertical intervals are providedby vertically spaced openings of one of the flanges.

4. Storage facilities as defined in claim 1 wherein the elongatedplatform type load supports are each provided with a pair ofcorresponding elongated straight rigid members by which the uprights areconnected to one another and said members are secured together inlaterally spaced parallel relation and said members have end portionsthereof spaced apart to receive the uprights therebetween and theuprights are detachably secured to the members at places remote from andbetween the ends of said members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS818,595 Wilcox Apr. 24, 1906 1,462,434 Wendel July 17, 1923 1,915,727Friedemann June 27, 1933 2,601,560 Riemenschneider June 24, 19522,691,203 Wilder Oct. 12, 1954

